15 Must-Follow Social Media Experts on Twitter

If you’ve ever considered asking someone if you can “pick their brain,” it might be a good idea to save yourself the awkwardness and check out their Twitter account instead. Twitter is an incredible resource for networking and seeking out top professionals and influencers in any industry, but this is especially true for social media experts.

Twitter offers a peek into the minds of industry leaders, allowing you to see what they are reading, sharing, and thinking about any topic, at any given time. To help you get the most professional value out of your feed, we’ve come up with a list (that you can find here) of top social media and marketing experts to follow on Twitter—no brain picking required.

Darren Rowse is an Australian speaker, blogger, podcaster, and founder of ProBlogger, a site that helps professional bloggers and marketers gain invaluable skills in the industry. While he has a focus on blogging, Darren highlights the deep connection between content marketing and social media through posts sharing his own content, or others he finds interesting and relevant.

Jay Baer’s Twitter header image declares “Content is fire. Social media is gasoline,” and with over 176,000 followers it’s obvious he knows what he’s talking about. Baer is a “New York Times best-selling author, keynote speaker, digital media entrepreneur, and the president of social media marketing firm Convince,” and his feed consists of genuinely helpful articles and resources related to social media and marketing.

Kim Garst calls herself the “First Lady of Periscope,” so if you’re feeling confused or want more information about the app, she is a great account to follow. While Periscope is her specialty, Garst is an incredibly accomplished social selling strategist (named one of Forbes’s Top 10 Social Media Influencers) and a best-selling author, so the content she Tweets is always valuable.

As a co-founder of Communications Axis, a digital marketing, social media, and content agency, Lilach Bullock shares her knowledge and expertise with over 86,000 Twitter followers daily. Through her account, Bullock shares fascinating insights, as well as bookmark-worthy links to content she or her Communications Axis team has written on the subject of social media and marketing.

Herman’s blog was named the #8 Social Media Blog by Social Media Examiner, making her a solid addition to your Twitter feed. A social media and Instagram consultant and trainer, San Diego-based Herman tweets resources and content that she has created herself, as well as the most relevant retweets from other social media and marketing experts.

Australian Jeff Bullas is another member of this list who has found himself on Forbes’s Top Social Media Influencers list, as well as #1 on Onalytica’s Top 100 Content Influencers and Brands list. Bullas’ Twitter feed shares links to his blog posts, which focus on social media, content, and digital marketing in an easy to digest format.

Gary Vaynerchuk has embraced numerous different social media platforms to showcase his expertise, making his Twitter feed a highly engaging stream with something for everyone. He shares content posted everywhere from his YouTube to his LinkedIn, and is constantly on lists of top entrepreneurs and social media marketers. As AlleyWatch explains, “In the span of a decade, [Gary] has transformed himself into one of the premier social media masters of our generation.”

Mari is a social media thought leader with a specialty in Facebook. She shares industry updates, inspirational but relevant quotes, links to her own content, and professional event updates, with her over 403,000 Twitter followers. Smith is a fantastic resource for keeping up to date with not only social media news, but tips and tricks that will help focus your content strategy.

Jason Houck names blogging and social media management among his top passions, and shares this enthusiasm through his Twitter posts. His company, “Weigh Your Mind,” offers social media and education, and his accompanying website offers an extremely helpful “Resources” page that’s worth bookmarking, as well as a highly informative blog.

As the author of the recent book “World Gone Social,” it’s an understatement to call Ted Coiné an expert in the field of social media. He’s been ranked the number one Social SEO authority, an Inc. Top 100 speaker, and is a three-time CEO who shares his expertise, learnings, and interesting content alongside personal anecdotes.

I’m a big fan of Ann Handley’s Wall Street Journal Bestseller “Everybody Writes,” and she brings the same expertise and engagement to her Twitter feed. With a concentration on content marketing, Handley’s Tweets reflect a deep understanding and fresh take on how social media fits into the overall picture.

Sean Gardner is a co-founder of Huffington Post’s “Twitter Powerhouses Series,” where he has interviewed hundreds of people and positioned himself as a leader in the realm of social media. Ranked the #1 Social Media Power Influencer by Forbes (no big deal), Gardner’s vision of “A more connected planet” is felt through Twitter feed. Here, he shares his expert insight into the state of social media, technology, and leads conversations on topics of extreme interest to anyone wanting to up their social media game.

An undisputable leader in social media, Robin Fray Carey is the CEO of Social Media Today LLC. She shares content from the Social Media Today site, as well as interesting content from other influencers, their customers, and the general web. As a co-founder of one of the first companies to manage online B2B communities, Fray Carey’s expertise is a valuable addition to your Twitter feed.

We at Hootsuite were extremely saddened to hear of Robin’s passing in December 2015. As a trailblazer in the social media industry, Robin’s legacy will undoubtedly continue through every life she touched and every lesson she taught. We send our sincere and deepest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones.

Glen Gilmore has been named #7 on Forbes Magazine Top Social Media Influencers, as well as on the list of Inc. Magazine’s Top 30 Experts on The Internet of Things. His feed will keep you up to date on the latest news in the social media world, as well as provide information from other experts to add to your growing list of mentors to follow.

As the co-author of “The Art of Social Media,” Peg Fitzpatrick is a must-follow social strategist with a specialty in the area of Pinterest. Her Twitter feed includes informative articles, content shared from other experts, as well as engaging Twitter chats that are great to either follow along with as an observer, or to jump in as a participant.